1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuit optoelectronic devices and, more particularly, to matrices of such devices.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
High speed integrated circuit devices are well known and widely used in computing and telecommunications. The constant demand is for ever increasing speed, capacity and component density. Integrated circuit photonic devices are seen as an important part of the future of high speed circuits because they have the advantage of minimizing high frequency electromagnetic interference problems found in electrical circuits. Although photonic devices still convert signals to and from electrical signals, the electrical signal lines can be shortened, and the electromagnetic problems can be significantly reduced. In such circuits, passive optical components must be assembled with the active optoelectronic components in order to make a complete device.
One of the more significant applications which can substantially benefit from the minimized electromagnetic interference of optoelectronic components is that of telecommunications. In particular, switching functions provide complex and difficult signal routing issues which are very susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Attempts to apply matrices of optoelectronic elements have had limited success and have been challenged by the electrical signal routing necessary for such devices.
For the above reasons, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a high speed signal matrix in which integrated optoelectronic devices are used.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a signal matrix in the form of a cross bar switch in which any of N inputs can be connected to any of M outputs.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a signal matrix wherein the optical components may be constructed by efficient fabrication methods.
Accordingly, the one form of the present invention provides an optoelectronic signal matrix for selectively connecting any of N inputs to any of M outputs, including: an integrated circuit matrix having N rows by M columns of optoelectronic matrix elements, with each matrix element including a detector and emitter pair adapted to detect first photonic signals and to re-emit the detected first photonic signals as second photonic signals; one or more input emitters for each N input, adapted to transmit a first photonic signal along a separate respective N matrix row, wherein the first photonic signals transmitted thereby have one or more wavelengths corresponding to one or more respective M outputs; one or more output detectors for each M output, adapted to receive second photonic signals from a separate respective matrix column; a waveguide located adjacent the matrix and adapted to provide a transmission medium along individual rows and along individual columns of the matrix; a separate diffraction grating associated with the waveguide over each detector of each matrix element and adapted to provide wavelength dependent diffraction of the first photonic signals traveling in the waveguide along each N row into the matrix element detector of wavelength respective M columns; and a separate optical distribution element associated with the waveguide over each emitter of each matrix element and adapted to distribute second photonic signals emitted from each matrix element emitter into the waveguide and along the respective M column; wherein the signal matrix is adapted to receive signals at each N input intended for any M output, transmit the received signals through the waveguide as first photonic signals at a wavelength corresponding to the intended M output, diffract the transmitted first photonic signals for detection by the matrix element of the corresponding M column, re-emit the detected signal from the detecting matrix element as a second photonic signal, distribute the second photonic signal into the respective M column and detect the distributed second photonic signal at the respective M output detector.
In another form, the present invention provides a method for connecting electrical signals from any one of N inputs to anyone of M outputs, including; emitting a first photonic signal representing an electrical signal from an N input at a photonic wavelength corresponding to an intended M output, conveying the emitted first photonic signal adjacent a separate row of an integrated circuit matrix of N rows by M columns of optoelectronic matrix elements, detecting the conveyed first photonic signal at a matrix element corresponding to the intended M output, re-emitting the detected first photonic signal as a second photonic signal from the corresponding matrix element, conveying the re-emitted second photonic signal along the respective M column, and detecting the conveyed second photonic signal in the respective M column at the respective M output.
In yet another form, the present invention provides an optoelectronic signal matrix for sending input photonic signals over a fiber optic bundle, including: an integrated circuit matrix having at least N rows of optoelectronic matrix elements, with each matrix element including a detector and emitter pair adapted to detect input photonic signals and to re-emit the detected input photonic signals; a waveguide located adjacent the matrix and adapted to provide a transmission medium along individual rows of the matrix, the waveguide including optical elements for directing input photonic signals into the matrix element detectors from the waveguide; and means for coupling re-emitted photonic signals from the matrix element emitters into a fiber optic bundle; wherein the switch matrix is adapted to detect input photonic signals in the waveguide at each matrix element and re-emit the detected input photonic signals into the optical fiber bundle.
In still another form, the present invention provides an optoelectronic signal matrix for receiving photonic signals from a fiber optic bundle, including: a integrated circuit matrix having at least N rows of optoelectronic matrix elements, with each matrix element including a detector and emitter pair adapted to detect photonic signals and to re-emit the detected photonic signals; means for coupling photonic signals from the fiber optic bundle to the matrix element detectors; and a waveguide located adjacent the matrix and adapted to provide a transmission medium along individual rows of the matrix, the waveguide including optical elements for directing optical signals along the waveguide from the matrix elements emitters; wherein the signal matrix is adapted to detect photonic signals present in the fiber optic bundle and to re-emit these detected photonic signals into the waveguide.